Fiddlers celebrate championship success

Two talented musicians from the North-east have tasted success in a prestigious fiddle competition

University of Aberdeen graduate Rae Jappy (24) and current student Nicola Auchnie (20) are celebrating after taking first and second place respectively in the annual Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship.

Rae and Nicola are regular players at the University's summer and winter graduation ceremonies. And both, at various points, have been pupils of Paul Anderson, a research fellow at the University's Elphinstone Institute and himself a former Glenfiddich Fiddle champion in 1995.

They were joined in the eight-strong competition field by Fiona Henderson, a second year Law and French Law student at the University.

The contest took place on Sunday, October 26 in the impressive setting of Blair Castle, Blair Atholl, Perthshire, in conjunction with the Glenfiddich Piping Championships. The invitational events are recognised as a showcase for musicians of the highest standard.

The fiddlers played in Blair Castle's impressive ballroom with a portrait of Niel Gow, the renowned Scottish fiddler, looking down on them.

Rae, who graduated in Accountancy and Music in 2006 and is now training to be a chartered accountant with Johnston Carmichael said: "Winning was wonderful and it was a tremendous occasion at Blair Castle. There was pressure and keen competition and the atmosphere was so charged. I was delighted to get top spot this year after coming second last time."

Fiona, who was competing for the first time, was unplaced. But Nicola, who is studying Music Education managed to overcome her nerves to take the second spot.

She said: "I was the last of the eight to play so I had a long wait and it was quite a surprise to me when I came second. I didn't listen to the others because I was frightened it might put me off and would forget my own performance. But I was fair chuffed to do as well as I did."

Paul Anderson added: "Blair Castle ballroom has beautiful acoustics and is a prestigious place to play but in the end the decision of the judges was unanimous. Watching Rae and Nicola do so well, after all the work that they have put in, was a much better feeling then when I took the title myself."